ISLAMABAD: United Nations special rapporteurs have expressed serious concern over the ongoing militant attacks on girls’ schools in Pakistan, urging the government to protect the fundamental right of women and girls to a safe and secure education.
In a joint letter to the Pakistani government, Farida Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education; Reem Alsalem, Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls; and Laura Nyirinkindi, Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls, called the attacks “alarming” and highlighted that while all attacks on schools are reprehensible, targeting girls’ schools specifically discourages women and girls from seeking education, perpetuating societal discrimination and inequality.
“We are alarmed by the ongoing terror attacks against girls’ schools by groups opposed to the education of women and girls,” the rapporteurs wrote. They requested information on the investigations into these attacks and the government’s measures to safeguard girls’ schools, particularly in Waziristan.
The experts raised concerns about the challenges faced by girls in Pakistan’s educational system, noting that girls are less likely to be enrolled in school, less likely to stay in school, and more likely to experience poorer educational outcomes than boys. Girls from rural areas are disproportionately affected, facing additional barriers such as poverty and restrictive sociocultural beliefs. They specifically referenced recent attacks by armed groups on private girls’ schools in North and South Waziristan, as well as in Surab district of Kalat division, Balochistan.
The rapporteurs noted: “Girls in Pakistan are disproportionately excluded from education. Challenges include a lack of schools, security risks while traveling to school (including harassment), child marriages, and the high cost of education, particularly for families living in poverty.”
They reminded the government of its legal obligations under international human rights law to respect, protect, and fulfill the rights of women and girls to education.
UN Experts Demand Immediate Release of Idris Khattak
In a separate matter, a group of UN special rapporteurs on enforced disappearances has urged the Pakistani government to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of human rights defender Idris Khattak.
In a joint statement issued from Geneva, the experts expressed dismay over the continued arbitrary detention of Khattak, believing it to be a direct retaliation for his human rights work, including documenting enforced disappearances and advocating for ethnic minorities in Pakistan’s northwest region.
The experts highlighted that Khattak was convicted and sentenced to 14 years in prison by a military court in 2021. They stated that he has allegedly endured severe human rights abuses since his detention in November 2019.
The UN experts called on Pakistan to conduct a thorough, independent, and impartial investigation into the violations Khattak has suffered, hold accountable those responsible—particularly those in command positions—and comply with a Supreme Court ruling declaring military trials of civilians unconstitutional.
